CHENNAI: In what could be an attempt to lessen the burden of aggrieved persons affected by eviction drive by government agencies, the state government on Thursday announced formation of district level redressal committees for eviction of encroachments.

Passing orders on a public interest litigation, the Madras High Court in August ordered the government to set forth a mechanism where affected people could complain and remedial action could be taken.

In a gazette notification, the revenue department said the petitioners seeking grievances for eviction of encroachment on government lands could move the respective tahsildars with a petition.

The taluk officers will have to inspect and when convinced of the fact that government land was being encroached, he would serve a show-cause notice to the encroacher within a stipulated time of 60 days.

Furthermore, an appellate committee at divisional level, comprising revenue divisional officer, deputy superintendent of police and deputy inspector of survey, will decide each and every case individually after giving an opportunity for the petitioner to be heard every month.

"The committee will also take up personal inspection, if required, along with tahsildar and surveyors, after giving advance intimation to the petitioner," the order said.

A written communication be sent to the petitioner conveying the decision of the appellate committee within a month of filing petition.

Any petitioner, who does not receive reply from the appellate committee at the divisional level within the stipulated time or is not satisfied with the decision of the appellate committee, shall also file a review petition before the review committee.

This committee at the district level will have district revenue officer, superintendent of police and assistant director of survey. It will meet once in a month and communicate its findings in 30 days from the time of filing petition.

The details and nature of complaints received by the divisional level review committee and district level review committee will be overseen by the district level steering committee on encroachment, headed by district collector already constituted in 2001.

"All the district collectors are instructed to give necessary publicity on constitution of redressal committees on eviction of encroachments," the notification said, directing the commissioner of revenue administration to issue orders to collectors to set up the committees.